Relay



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,078

F. H. WINTER RELAY Filed Jan. 12, 1927 Inve nton: Fned l-I .\X/Lnter-.

I-ILs Attorney.

Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE. 1

FRED H. WINTER, OF

scnnnnc'rany, new YORK, nssren'on TO GENERAL nnnc'rnrc COMPANY, A conrona'rron on NEW YORK.

RE A

Application filed January 12, 1927. Serial No. 160,729.

In certain automatic reclosing circuit breaker arrangements, such as disclosed for example in German Patent 398,017 of July 3, 1924, corresponding to application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 571 183, filed June 27, 1922, in the name of A. Anderson, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention,'the reclosing of the circuit breaker is made responsive to the ratio of the voltage'ofthe supply circuit to the voltage across a current limiting device connected across the lineterminals of the circuit breaker. In such cases, the reclosing relay used for the comparison of these voIt-- 2c ages may be of the balanced or diiierential type. The relay comprises actuating and restraining electromagnets, the windings of these electromagnets being connected to be energized respectively in accordance with 2 the supply circuit voltage and the voltage across the current limiting device. So long a? theline is fed from but one end, operation 0 the relay on a substantially definite'ratio' basis is readily attainable. However, if the line is or may be fed from both ends, then a reversal of current may occur in the winding connected across the current limiting device; that is to say, the winding of the restraining electromagnet. Consequently, the result- :5 ant magnetic fields of the relay difi'er in accordance with the direction in which the line is fed. 0 eration at the desired ratio does not occur 1n each case, due, I believe, to the.

difierence in the efiect of the leakage flux of t0 the actuating electromagnet on the restraining electromagnet because of their proximity. While this diflerence might be avoided by spacing the electromagnets so far apart as to elimlnate this stray field interference. efiect, the reclosing relay would be considerabl larger and, therefore, necessitate addit-iona switchboard space. This, in many cases, so increases the'cost as to be economically prohibitive.

An object of my invention is, therefore, to provide an improved differential relay whereby this objectionable difference in action arising from a change in the direction of the current in one of the windings, whatever the cause, whether leakage flux or 0th81 sidered in connection with the accompanying wise, is compensated without increasing the size of the relay.

My invention will be better understood from the following description when con- 80 drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. I

The single figure of the accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention in a differential relay comprisin two separate but relativel closely spaced e ectromagnets 1 and 2, which are arranged to exert opposin forces on a movable member 3. This mem er comprises two magnetic parts such as armatures 4, one

for each. electromagnet, ri 'dly secured to an intermediate non-magnetic part such as a piece of Bakelite 5 which is pivoted at 6: For circuit controlling purposes, the memher 3 is provided with a contact 7 which may be flexibly mounted as shown and which is arranged to cooperate with a contact 8. This contact may be adjustably positioned as shown,

Each of the electromagnets 1 and 2, hereinafter termed respectively the actuatin and restraining electromagnets, is provide with a magnetic circuit com rising a magnetic core 9, a magnetic mem er 10 and one of the armatures 4.. The parts 11 and 12 are merely supporting pieces of non-magnetic material. The actuating electroma 1 net 1 further comprises an actuating winding 13 and may also be rovided with a holding or seal1ng-in winding 14 which is connected in circuit with the contacts 7 through the lead 15 so as to be energized when the contacts 7 and .8 are closed. The restraining electromagnet 2 comprises 'a restraining winding 16 and means such as a 95 winding 17 for compensating for the difier ence in the efiect of the electromagnets 1 and 2 on the member 3 due to a change in the direction of the current in the restraining winding 16. This compensating wind- 10.) ing 17 isconnected to be ener ized proportionately to the energization o the actu-- ating winding 13 since it is to compensate for the effect of the leakage flux thereof on the restraining electromagnet 2. For this purpose'it is connected in circuit with the actuating winding 13 and as shownin series therewith. In order to adjust the relay for operation on the occurrence of a predeter-- mined relation of currents in the actuating and restraining windings 13, 16 as for example when the ratio of the current in the actuating winding 13 to the current in the restraining winding 16 exceeds a predetermined value, the cores 9 are adjustably mounted as shown and there are provided suitable biasing -means, preferably adjustable, such as springs 18 and an adjustable stop 19 for the member 3 whereby the position of the member 3 when the restraining electromagnet 2 is predominant and, therefore, the relative air gaps of the armatures 4 for any given position of the cores 9 is determined.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, if the restraining winding 16 is energized by a current flowing in the direction indicated by the arrow 20, and the actuating and compensating windings 14 and 17, respectively, are energized by a current flowing in the direction indicated by the arrow 21, then the fluxes due to the restraining and compensating windin are cumulative. If, however, the direction of the current in the restraining winding is as indicated by the arrow 22, then the fluxes due to the restraining and compensating windings are-in opposition. With this arrangement, I have found it possible, with the restraining winding 16 energized and the member 3 turned clockwise until the armature 4 of the actuating electromagnet 1 is against the stop 19, to move the member 3 counterclockwise to circuit closing position upon energizin the actuating winding 13 by a current whic bears a definite ratio to the current in the restraining winding 16, irrespective of the direction of the current in the restraining winding. I-attribute this to the fact that the effect of the leakage flux from the actuating electromagnet 1, not passing through the armatures 4, on the restraining electromagnet 2 is com ensated by the electroma netio action of t s winding 17 Whl e relays embodying my invention are particularly applicable to automatic 'reclosmg circuit breaker arran ements such as disclosed in the patent an patent application heretofore referred to, their use is not so limited. When ap lied to such arrangements so as to effect t e' reclosing of the c'1rcuit breaker when the ratio of the supply circuit voltage to the voltage across the current limiting device connected across the circuit breaker exceeds a predetermined value, the restraining windin 16 is connected across the current limiting device as heretofore, and the actuating and compensating windings are arranged to be connected across the supply circuit on one side or the other of the circuit breaker after it has opened; these two windings being connected as the actuating winding has been heretofore.

' While I have shown and described my invention in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangements shown, but seektto cover in the appended claims all those modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United'states, is:

1. A relay comprising a movable member and means for controlling the movement thereof comprising two separate. relatively closely spaced electromagnets arranged to exert opposing forces on the member and to move the member from one position to another when thewindings of the electromagnets are ener ized by currents having a predetermined re ation, and means for compensating for the difference in the effect ,of said electromagnets on said member due to a change in the'direction of the current in the winding of one of the electromagnets comprising a winding on one of the electromagnets arranged to be ener ed pro ortionately to the energization o the win ing of the other electroma net.

2.'A relay comprisin a movable circuit controlling member an means for controlling the movement thereof comprising actuating and restraining electromagnets spaced relatively closely and arranged to exert o posing forces on the member and to move t e member to circuit closing position when the currents in the windingsof the electromagnets have a predetermined relation, and means forcompensating for the difference in the efl'ect of said electromagnets on said member due to a chan e in the direction of the current in the winding of the restraining electromagnet comprising a winding thereon connected in circuit with the winding of the actuating electroma et.

a 3. A relay comprisin a movable member and means for contro ling the movement thereof comprising actuating and restraining 'electromagnets spaced relatively closely an arranged to exert opposing forces on the member and to move the member from one position to another when the ratio of the current in the winding of the actuatin electromagnet to the current in the winding of the restraining electromagnet exceeds a predetermined value, and means for compensatmg for the difference in the effect of said electromagnets on said member .due to a change in the direction of the current in the winding of the restraining electromagnet comprising a winding thereon connected to be energized proportionately to the energizet1on of the winding of the actuating electromagnet. I

4. A relay comprisin a movable member and means for contro ing' the movement thereof comprising actuating and restraining electromagnets spaced relatively closely and arranged to exert o posing forces on the member and to move t e member from one position to another when the windings of the electromagnets are energized by currents having a predetermined relation, and means for compensating for the difierence in the efl'ect of said electromagnets on said member due to a. change in the direction of the current in the winding of the restraining electroma'gnet comprising a Winding thereon connected to be energized proportionately to the energization of the winding of the actuating electromagnet.

5. A relay comprising a movable circuit controlling member and means for controlling the movement thereof comprising actuating and restraining electromagnets spaced relatively closely and arranged to exert 0pposing forces. on the member and to move the member to circuit controlling position when the ratio of the current in the Winding of the actuating electromagnet to the current in 2 the winding of the restraining electromagnet exceeds a predetermined value, and means for compensating for the difference in the effect of said electromagnets on said member due to a change in the direction of the current 'intho winding of the restraining elec-' tromagnet comprising a winding thereon connected in series with the winding of the actuating electromagnet.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 30 my hand this 11th day of January, 1927.

FRED H. WINTER. 

